Zetro's seamless return to Exodus

Band say singer got up to speed right off the bat for his third stint at the helm

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Exodus say the reintroduction of Steve 'Zetro' Souza to the band has proved seamless, with their 10th album pencilled in for an October release.

The metal icons last month sacked Rob Dukes after nine years at the helm and brought back Zetro for his third stint on the mic. And according to drummer Tom Hunting, Zetro got up to speed almost immediately when brought in to record vocals for the upcoming record Blood In, Blood Out.

Hunting tells Rock Hard: “He came ready to work. He jumped right in there with six hours notice and was ready to kick ass. He was hungry for this. I mean, this is a very important album for us.

“Of all the studio releases, this is number 10. It’s a pretty important record, and we all recognise that. A lot of people don’t even get to be in a band that makes 10 records – very few people do – so we’re really fortunate, and we take it seriously.”

On the new album, bassist Jack Gibson adds: “It’s getting mixed right now, and I think it’s coming out October 25. It’s good, man. It’s got some throwback elements, some real short, thrashy old-school stuff, as well as some of the epic, dark Exodus-type shit. So I think it’s a really good record, man. And Zetro kind of meshed right in with it and made it sound really good.”

The band say their split with Dukes was entirely down to differences of opinion on the direction they were taking.

Gibson says: “You know, we were just kind of both going in different directions, what we wanted in the band. We were doing the new record, so it was important, and we were just kind of having different ideas about what album we wanted to make. So we just decided that it was time to part ways with Rob.

“Rob is a little more punk rock, kind of New York hardcore, and we’re West Coast thrash, long-hair, patched vest-type stuff. So we were just kind of clashing a little bit with ideas and the way the delivery should be, and just different things like that.”